Display and dispensing assembly

ABSTRACT

A display and dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of separate, gravity fed dispensing units, each unit being detachably suspended on the unit immediately to its rear and detachably supporting the unit immediately to its front.

United States Patent [1 1 Sullivan DISPLAY AND DISPENSING ASSEMBLY [75] lnventor: Joseph F. Sullivan, South Orange,

[73] Assignee: Donald J. Mueller, Westfield, NJ.

a part interest [22] Filed: Sept. 19, 1966 121] App]. No.: 580,321

[52] U.S. Cl. 312/42, 211/49 [51} Int. Cl. A471 l/00 [58] Field of Search 211/49; 312/35, 42, 312/43, 45, 49, 60, 61;221/312, 130,131,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,079,556 11/1913 lsrael ..312/45 [451 July 3, 1973 2/1944 Casteen ..312/42 2/1962 Belejack ..211/49 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant ExaminerFrank Domoter Attorney-John N. Bain 5 7 ABSTRACT A display and dispensing assembly comprising a plural ity of separate, gravity fed dispensing units, each unit being detachably suspended on the unit immediately to its rear and detachably supporting the unit immediately to its front. V

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENT ED JUL 3 3975 FIG. 4

LI ll j I l l 1 L r lrwu 'l I L My invention relates to dispensers generally and specifically to a gravity feed, display and dispenser assembly comprising a plurality of separate, gravity-feed, dispensing units, vertically and detachably suspended one upon and in front of the other, the rearmost unit being suspended to a vertical wall.

While my dispenser as illustrated in the drawings may be employed to dispense a wide variety of different items, it is particularly useful for rapid dispensing of pharmaceuticals under rapid turnover conditions which normally prevail in hospital pharmacies. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the particular use to which my dispenser is placed is not an essential element of novelty or invention.

In hospital pharmacies, large quantities of the same drug must be rapidly and frequently dispensed in relatively small numbers. The usual practice is to package each drug in a small, generally rectangular, clear plastic container, each container having the same number of capsules, tablets, pills or the like. Upon demand, the pharmacist must locate and withdraw the container from some storage area, open its top, remove a particular number of pharmaceuticals contained therein, most frequently less than the total number therein. The container is then closed and restored. When next that particular pharmaceutical is needed, the same box is again withdrawn from the storage area, the top opened and the desired number of items withdrawn. However, in most instances, after the container has onced been opened, the total number of items left is less than the usual prescription so that, upon second withdrawal from the container a new container must be opened and a portion of that container withdrawn. In any event, it is highly unlikely that the exact number of items contained within the box would be withdrawn for any one prescription and thus, the pharmacist is persistently opening two containers to till a prescription. This process of opening two containers and replacing the partially empty container where it can be again reached is both time consuming and difficult.

Therefore, it is among the objects and advantages of my invention to provide a display and dispensing assembly in which a single, full container of pharmaceuticals is readily available each time that particular pharmaceutical must be dispensed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dis play and dispensing assembly in which means are provided to receive and store partially emptied containers of each given pharmaceutical.

A further object of my invention is to provide a display and dispensing assembly in which a plurality of gravity fed, dispensing units are suspended vertically and detachably one in front of the other, the rearmost unit being suspended from a vertical wall.

Still another object of my invention is to provide. a display and dispensing assembly in which each gravity fed unit has means on its rear to detachably suspend it to the front of an identical unit and means on its front to detachably support another identical unit there-infront.

Yet a further object of my invention is to provide a display and dispensing assembly in which each individual gravity fed unit is vertically positioned above the unit immediately therebehind a distance equal to the height of one pharmaceutical container stored therein.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION A display and dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of separate, gravity fed dispensing units, each unit being detachably suspended on the unit immediately to its rear and detachably supporting the unit immediately to its front, the units defining a plurality of generally upstanding dispensing chutes, stop means to retain articles in each chute against the force of gravity, and, means for withdrawing articles from each chute in proximity to the bottom thereof.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages can be achieved 'by my invention, one embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a display and dispensing consol embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the consol shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the gravity fed dispensing units employed in my assembly;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the unit shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now the drawings in detail, my assembly may be conveniently incorporated in a consol 11 including a table 12 having a pair of spaced apart, drawer cabinets l3 and 14 therebeneath. A rear wall 15 extends vertically upwardly from the rear of the table 12.

A plurality of gravity fed dispensing units 16 are detachably and vertically suspended from the rear wall 15 by means which will be hereinafter detailed. Each unit 16 is comprised of a rear wall 18 and a pair of spaced apart, parallel side walls 19 and 20 perpendicular thereto. The front edge of each side wall 19 and 20 is folded over upon itself inwardly defining short lips 21 and 22 which help retain pharmaceutical containers in the chute 17 defined by the rear wall 18 and side walls 19 and 20. At the bottom edge of each side wall 19 and 20 is provided an inwardly folded, generally horizontal bottom leg, respectively 23 and 24 defining bottom means for supporting a column of pharmaceutical containers located in the chute l7.

The top of each unit 16 is provided with a flat strap 25 extending horizontally between the front edges of the side walls 19 and 20. The strap 25 defines means for supporting an identical unit there-in-front as will be hereinafter described.

The rear of the rear wall 18 of each unit 16 is provided with a flat, depending flange 26 the free end 27 of which is spaced apart from the rear wall 18 thereby defining a vertical channel 28 open downwardly to receive the cooperative strap 25 on a unit 16 immediately to the rear. Thus, each unit 16 may be suspended from the unit 16 immediately to the rear and also support an additional identical unit 16 immediately to the front.

The rear wall 14 of the consol 11 may be provided with a depending support 29 diverging downwardly and having a slot 30 in the top to receive the flange 26 on the unit 16 immediately there-in-front. Since the support 29 diverges downwardly, each of the units is positioned at a slight angle to the vertical tilting toward the rear wall 15 thereby minimizing the danger of accidental loss of the containers from the open front of the chute 17.

The bottom of the channel 28 defined by the flange 26 is positioned beneath the level of the strap 25 on the same unit 16 so that each unit is positioned above the unit immediately to the rear. In addition, each unit is provided with a pair of straps 31 and 32 in proximity to the bottom of the unit 16; the lower strap 32 being positioned with respect to the bottom legs 23 and 24 to define an opening 33 sufficiently large vertically to permit withdrawal of a container of drugs from the chute 17. The upper strap 31 aids in preventing accidental withdrawal of two containers at the same time. Moreover, straps 25, 31 and 32 are displaced slightly forwardly of the front edges of the side walls 19 and 20 thereby spacing adjacent units 16 slightly apart.

In operation, a plurality of units are mounted one in front of the other with the rearmost unit detachably attached to the support 29 on the rear wall 15. Preferably, there are an even number of units 16. The front most unit 16 is left empty, the unit immediately to the rear being filled with pharmaceutical containers, each container being full. Thereafter, alternately, units 16 are empty and full of containers. When the particular pharmaceutical is needed, the full container at the bottom of the chute 17 in the unit 16 second from the front is withdrawn through the opening 33 causing the remainder of the containers to gravity feed downwardly to fill the space. The requisite number of items is withdrawn from the container and the partially emptied container is then inserted in the top of the chute 17 in the unit immediately there-in-front falling to the bottom thereof. When next this particular pharmaceutical is needed, a new full container is withdrawn from the second from the front unit, the requisite number of items withdrawn and the partially emptied box inserted in the unit there-in-front. This process is repeated until the unit 16 initially full of full containers is emptied. Since each unit 16 is identical in size to each of the other units 16, the unit 16 immediately there-in-front is now full of partially emptied containers. The two units are then detached from the third from the front unit which is empty, the fourth from the front unit being full. The procedure is then repeated until the initially full unit is exhausted.

In this manner, during slow periods, the pharmacist may invert the unit 16 now full of partially emptied containers, allowing the containers to fall therefrom. The containers may then be quickly and easily opened and each filled to capacity and reinserted in one of the units. The unit is then combined with another empty unit there-in-front and repositioned in the assembly. Thus, during each time pharmaceuticals are dispensed, only one box is opened and there will always be sufficient number of drugs therein to fill the prescription. During rush hours, the pharmacist does not have to open two boxes taking some items from one until that is exhausted and then opening another and taking only a part of the whole therein.

I claim:

1. A display and dispensing assembly comprising,

a. a plurality of separate gravity fed dispensing units each unit being detachably suspended on the unit immediately to its rear and detachably supporting the unit immediately to its front and defining a plurality of generally upstanding dispensing chutes,

. stop means to retain articles in each chute against the force of gravity and,

. means for withdrawing articles from each chute in proximity to the bottom thereof.

. A display and dispensing assembly comprising:

the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which, the bottom of each unit is higher than the bottom of the unit immediately to its rear.

. A display and dispensing assembly comprising:

the structure in accordance with claim 2 in which, each unit is provided with an opening at its front in proximity to its bottom dimensioned sufficiently large for an article to pass therethrough and,

. the bottom of the unit immediately thereinfront is higher than the top of said opening.

. A display and dispensing assembly comprising:

. the structure in accordance with claim 3 and,

. means on each unit for suspending the unit on the unit immediately to the rear and for supporting the unit immediately to the front. 

1. A display and dispensing assembly comprising, a. a plurality of separate gravity fed dispensing units each unit being detachably suspended on the unit immediately to its rear and detachably supporting the unit immediately to its front and defining a plurality of generally upstanding dispensing chutes, b. stop means to retain articles in each chute against the force of gravity and, c. means for withdrawing articles from each chute in proximity to the bottom thereof.
 2. A display and dispensing assembly comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which, b. the bottom of each unit is higher than the bottom of the unit immediately to its rear.
 3. A display and dispensing assembly comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 2 in which, b. each unit is provided with an opening at its front in proximity to its bottom dimensioned sufficiently large for an article to pass therethrough and, c. the bottom of the unit immediately thereinfront is higher than the top of said opening.
 4. A display and dispensing assembly comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 3 and, b. means on each unit for suspending the unit on the unit immediately to the rear and for supporting the unit immediately to the front. 